Catheters for the introduction or removal of fluids may be located in various venous locations and cavities throughout the body for the introduction or removal of such fluids. Such catheterization may be performed by using a single catheter having multiple lumens. A typical example of a multiple lumen catheter is a dual lumen catheter in which a first lumen introduces fluids and a second lumen removes fluids. These catheters are very useful for procedures such as hemodialysis, wherein blood is removed from a patient through the first lumen for processing in a hemodialysis machine, and the processed blood is returned to the patient through the second lumen. Alternatively, multiple catheters, each having a single lumen, may be inserted in multiple locations in the patient, such as in each femoral vein.
Catheters are manufactured in different sizes and from different materials depending on the circumstances of their use. For example, smaller catheters are used on smaller patients, and different materials may be used depending on whether the catheter is intended to be in the patient for a short period of time, such as several hours or days, or of an extended period of time, such as weeks or months.
Catheters typically include indicia printed on the extension tubes that provides vital information such as the size, priming volume, and recommended as well as contra-indicated cleaning solutions to use around the catheter entrance to the patient. For example, some cleaning fluids can actually dissolve certain types of polyurethane materials from which some catheters are constructed. Text information is placed on the extension tubes to warn the user not to use such cleaning fluids.
The information printed on the extension tubes may vary depending on the intended catheter use. However, one drawback to this approach is that text size and clarity is limited, since the extension tubes are tubular and are typically translucent. Additionally, the text applied to the extension tubes is susceptible to rubbing off over time. Further, information such as priming volume may be printed on the catheter, such as on the extension tube. If a repair is necessary that requires a luer to be removed and a new, replacement luer installed onto the extension tube, the priming volume has changed, because the extension tube has been shortened as a result of the luer replacement. It would be desirable to provide a replaceable component with the catheter that can indicate the correct priming volume after such a replacement.
Further, it would be desirable to provide a surface on a catheter on which important information may be printed which may be easily read by the user and which will not wear off during the life of the catheter. Further, it would be beneficial to provide an information ring that may be removed from a catheter, and a new information ring installed on the catheter without having to disassemble any other portion of the catheter.